CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Queens University of Charlotte women's basketball team suffered an 80-79 loss to Mars Hill University on Saturday afternoon in the Levine Center.
 
The team honored its four-member senior class in a post-game ceremony, as Melissa Blatnik, Cheyenne Logan, Mendy McNeese and Victoria Robinson were recognized for their contributions to the program.
 
Queens (4-20, 1-17 SAC) shot 50 percent from the floor in the contest and held a 34-32 advantage in total rebounds, but committed 23 turnovers. Mars Hill (2-2-24, 1-17 SAC) scored 31 points off of those miscues and shot 50.9 percent from the field, including a 58.8 percent clip from three-point range.
 
Mars Hill led by 14 after the opening quarter of play and carried that advantage into the halftime break, thanks in large part to a 6-for-8 shooting performance from beyond the arc in the opening 20 minutes of action.
 
The spread remained at 14 points following the completion of the third quarter before the Royals opened the fourth period on a 17-8 run to close the gap to a five-point deficit.
 
Queens continued to battle for the lead, trailing by just one point with 17 second remaining following a converted and-one from junior Ceara Leavai and a free throw from freshman Caitlyn Moore. Two free throws put Mars Hill back ahead by three points until a layup from junior Lade Adepoju cut the margin back to one point. The Royals were able to get off a jumper and a three-point attempt to take the lead with under seven second to play but wer unable to sink a basket.
 
Adepoju led the team with 26 points, shooting 9-for-12 from the floor and 8-for-10 from the free throw line, to go along with six rebounds and four steals.
 
McNeese followed with 16 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals, while freshman Kristian Eanes registered 12 points of her own.
 
The Royals hit the road for their final two games of the 2017-18 season, beginning with a trip to Hickory, N.C. on Wednesday, January 21 to take on Lenoir-Rhyne University at 6 p.m.